Ed’s Note: We here at The Solute does not encourage, promote or even necessarily partake in activities that may be illicit or illegal in your/our state or country. Regardless of whether some racially motivated fear mongers decided to make something illegal because of who was partaking in that substance, we should always obey the laws no matter how unjust, impractical, or downright silly those laws actually are. And, as we are obeying those laws, we should work to not only make those laws illegal, but also petition the government to reverse the racially imbalanced convictions that occurred during the time of those convictions. That said, we do recognize that, while pushing for these laws to change, some people actually imbibe from time to time, and, as such, those experiences are worth talking about. So, grab a taco or 10 because you might have the munchies and let’s talk about chems.
I’m sure we’ve all heard stories about 2001: A Space Odyssey being “The Ultimate Trip” and a movie that is supposed to have an arc that parallels an LSD drug trip. That it takes a while to kick in, and then just as you’re getting and overcoming paranoia, suddenly the visuals kick in and you’re transported to another world. If you drop a dose, you’re supposed to peak with the movie and all that. It’s not really all that true (maybe, depending on body size and chemistry), but it’s a fun story.
That said, drugs can and do open your mind to parts of the film that a sober mind might not perceive. I do not recommend 2001 as a good movie for drugs, or any Kubrick movie for that matter. His compositions tend to be solitary and lonely. Especially on the space station, 2001 isolates Dave Bowman with an eye that penetrates his and your soul, while he’s surrounded by cold white light and walls while mechanical noises whirr around him. When H.A.L. kills the remaining crew, he does it with just a few beeps that slow into a flatline that careens across the cavernous theater. It’s a deep, intense experience.
A friend in college used to use big colorful kids movies and get stoned to the big cushy animation. They had a collection ranging from The Point to the Studio Ghibli collection to Yellow Submarine to get lost in the various ways that animated movies could warp reality. They preferred animations that were rubbery and elastic to the more rigid kind because they said the texture used to make them feel giddy, playful, and safe. Kind of a regressive therapy to a more carefree time, if only for 90 minutes or so.
Another bad experience I’ve had is getting drunk and trying to watch Natural Born Killers. Now, Natural Born Killers seems like the perfect movie for drinking because it’s aggressive and fast and prone to encouraging political diatribes. But, it’s also flashy and intensely surreal. The image rarely stands still, and when it does the colors are toxic and prone to inducing nausea. Even though I’d seen the movie a whole bunch of times by then, I got motion sick, and ended up vomiting.
The best way to discover Schizopolis is the day after you do ecstasy in a university testing situation while in a psych ward. Life is already a bit surreal. The patients around you are a bit troubled as it is. And, you’re being forced to lay in the dark every two hours with the chance to nap. And you just legally took an illicit drug the day before, and you’re still feeling connected with the world a little (unless you’re the type to crash hard the next day). And, in this state, you decide to watch a movie that seems like it should be dada, but is actually a grand experiment in cinematic form on a micro state, and it seems like you just might be going a little crazy. And, if you rented the DVD, then you might decide to put on the commentary track where the director is kind of fucking with you, and suddenly the world seems like it might be falling apart.
What are your chemically induced experiences? Are movies better on a drug? Worse? Does it matter? What genres do you prefer? Does it depend on the day? Are you straight edge and don’t do chemicals? What’s your story?
Ed’s Note: We also do not encourage over-imbibing. Know your limits. Please imbibe only in relatively safe and secure spaces. And, please do not drive while drunk or high. This article is solely about responsible and recreational drug usage. If you are addicted or feel trapped by your usage, please seek help if you need it.
Ed’s Note: Doesn’t that movie theater look like something that would melt when you’re high?